Friday, August 30, 2013

Giveaway Winner!!

Hey Guys!!

As you know I was holding a mini giveaway on facebook as a thank you to all my followers! The competition closed at 12 pm today and I have generated the winner!

Page 1 
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Four people shared the post and forgot to like the picture, they were also included!
Four people shared the post and forgot to like the picture, they were also included!
Four people shared the post and forgot to like the picture, they were also included!
The final list:
  1. Davi Gouder
  2. Del Imen
  3. Emerald Inceptions
  4. Edith Sciberras
  5. Cherise Ann Abela
  6. Lorraine Camilleri
  7. Denise Frendo
  8. Karen Abela
  9. Claire Stephen
  10. Claudia Sammut
  11. Francesca Farrugia
  12. Lara Azzopardi
  13. Marcon Caruana
  14. Cheryl Godfrey
  15. Dorianne Mamo
  16. Allyson May Gaffarena
  17. Maria Attard
  18. Kylie Cassar
  19. Francesca Spiteri
  20. Sabrina Camilleri
  21. Melanie Christy
  22. Jackie C Bonello
  23. Olivia Muscat 
  24. Allyson May Gaffarena
24 total entries- randomly generated on random.org
Winner- Number 11
Our winner is FRANCESCA FARRUGIA!!!

Thank you all for entering!!

Martina XOXO

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Tried & Tested- Pupa Glossy Lips 403- Shimmering Ruby

Hey Guys!

I hope you are all well!

Last week I received two new products from Pupa! One of which I will be reviewing today! Glossy lips is one of their new innovative products. The shade I received is Shade 403- Shimmering Ruby.

Pupa Glossy Lips in 403- Shimmering Ruby
The lipgloss retails for 11.25 euro and comes in 16 shades. You can find more information here:

Glossy Lips is not your average lipgloss, not only does it give shine like a normal lipgloss, it also nourishes the lips since it has argan oil as one of it's key ingredients.

I am not usually a fan of lipglosses but I was quite surprised at how much I liked this lipgloss. I usually hate the sticky-ness of the whole lip gloss experience but this lip gloss is different. Although it does feel like a lip gloss, it feels extremely smooth on the lips. Apart from that, your lips feel smooth even after the lip gloss wears off.

The lipgloss comes in a sleek transparent tube which makes it easier for you to see the colour. This gloss comes with a wand applicator which is slightly different to the normal wand applicators I have, not only does it make it easier to apply the gloss but the wand bends without ease, unlike the sturdy wand applicators I am usually accustomed to.

Glossy Lips Applicator.
Shimmering Ruby is a dark pink shade with pink and gold shimmer undertones. I am quite surprised that this shade is called Shimmering Ruby, although the shimmering part is right, although it is not a full on shimmer, the shade in itself is a more pink rather than a ruby shade. 

The lip gloss smells really nice and you can identify the Argan oil smell in it, although it is not very over powering.

With regards to longevity, as many lip glosses, the gloss will wear off after a few hours, however a hint of the colour stays on the lips, and as I said earlier, it does leave your lips feeling smooth after it wears off.

Wearing the Gloss
I really love this lip gloss and would recommend it to anyone, my only concern is the price since I personally would not spend so much on a lip gloss (as I said before, not really a lip gloss person) but due to the fact that it is a lip gloss and a lip care product at the same time, I think the price is reasonable.

That's all from me.

Martina XOXO


*Disclaimer*- I was sent this product for free, however, the above review is of my true and honest opinion.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Fabulous Mini Giveaway- Facebook!

Hey Guys,

I hope you are all well!

Last Friday I reached a new milestone, 500 likes on Facebook!!

Thank you very much for your support over the years!

As a thank you, I am holding a small giveaway on my facebook page: 

You can win two NYX Jumbo Pencils in Black Bean and Peacock!


It's a fairly simple giveaway! All you need to do is:
  1. Like my Facebook page
  2. Share the above photo
  3. Like the above photo
  4. You have till Friday 30th at 12 pm
Winner will be chosen at random!

Get sharing and liking!

Martina XOXO

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Fabulous Events: ' An Evening with Vera Wang' at Camilleri Paris Mode

Hey Guys,

Earlier this week I was invited to attend 'An Evening with Vera Wang' at Camilleri Paris Mode.

I have to be  honest with you, I was very excited to attend this event, not only because I really enjoy attending wedding dresses events, but my guilty pleasure has always been watching a number of reality shows about weddings and wedding dresses. I have seen a number of Vera Wang gowns on TV so I was very excited to see these gowns up close and personal.

The event kicked off with a fashion show showcasing five of the exquisite gowns. These gowns are definitely a work of art, not only in the way they look but the precision of getting the wedding gowns just right, having each gown specifically hand made (which takes 2 weeks to make) and shipped for the bride from New York.

We also had the opportunity to see another three gowns which were on display. Unfortunately I did not manage to get very clear pictures of the gowns, however, I have put a more clearer picture of each individual gown just below my pictures. Photo Credit- Vera Wang official website.

Should you be interested in viewing these dresses, you may do so by appointment at Camilleri Paris Mode. 

The Gemma Gown
The Gemma Gown
This simple gown is a true classic mermaid dress, with gorgeous fabric details all across the dress and accentuated with a bow detail on the waist. For the show, Camilleri Paris mode chose a rose bow to make the dress pop even more.

The Josephine Gown
The Josephine Gown
The Josephine gown was probably the gown with the most interesting details.  The dress was your average princess ball gown dresses with a twist. For one, this dress was a halter neck dress which continued to probably one of the most interesting backs of the night having the neck detail being joined with a  lavish lace waist detail at the waist. As you can see, Vera Wang has this dress in black with white details, however Camilleri Paris Mode showcased the white dress with a diamond detail at the waist.

The June Gown
The June Gown
The June Gown
The June gown was probably one of the most detailed gowns. The gown was a feather like mermaid bottom gown having a lace detail on the top part of the gown with a feathery detail going from the top to the bottom of the dress. Just as the front, the back was just as stunning, having a lace detail on the top part of the gown and a bow detail on the waist. The pictures I have found are the original June dress in black and a white dress on show case in one of Vera Wang's shops.

The Lindsey Dress
The Lindsey Dress
The Lindsey dress was probably the most  classic dress of all the dresses. Your average mermaid style dress with a beautiful flowy detail at the bottom, this dress was simple yet dream like at the same time. The dress has a lace detail bodice with a beautiful crystal detail.

The Lisa Gown
The Lisa Gown
The Lisa Gown was probably the most show stopping gown of the night. A beautiful princess dress with a long veil to complement it, this dress was made to make any bride wearing it feel like their favourite princess. The dress has a lovely sweetheart bodice with beading details and a bow detail just under the bust.

We could also see three dresses on display all of which were  dream like with beautiful material, beading, crystal and diamond details.




I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed it!

Martina XOXO

Friday, August 23, 2013

OOTD/ FOTD: What I wore to 'An Evening with Vera Wang' at Camilleri Paris Mode- Bronzing it with Baroque

Hi Guys!

Hope you are all doing well!

If you follow me on my facebook page (if you haven't liked my page, head over to https://www.facebook.com/allthingsfabulousblog), you know that I was invited to attend 'An Evening with Vera Wang' at Camilleri Paris Mode earlier this week ( a more detailed post on the event will follow shortly!)

If you also follow my Diet Diaries series, I mentioned that I had 2 items of clothing which I was reserving for when I lose weight. Today, I debut my 'Bye Bye Fatty' Dress, my New Look Black Bronze Baroque Print Bodycon dress which has been sitting in my wardrobe a few weeks before I started my diet (make that around 6 months)! 

I decided to pair it up with my favourite New Look Pumps and Zara/ Trafaluc Handbag which was a birthday present from my baby bro and his girlfriend.


OOTD
New Look Black Bronze Baroque Print Bodycon Dress
New Look Pumps
New Look Chandelier Earrings
Forever 21 Gold Clasp Bangle
Zara/ Trafaluc Handbag

With regards to my make up, I went quite natural since I did not have a lot of time to prepare! I also had the chance to try out my new Mac Patina eyeshadow!


FOTD

Face
Catrice Prime and Fine
Make Up Forever Mat Velvet + in 25
Essence Soul Sista Limited Edition Bronzing Get in 01 Shake your Booty
NYX Above and Beyond Full Coverage Concealer in Green
Make Up Store Cover All in Blue
e.l.f cosmetics HD Powder
essence Soul Sista Limited Edition Bronzing Powder 
Mac Fix +

Eyes
Nyx High Definition Eyeshadow base
Mac Eyeshadows in Brule, Patina, Satin Taupe and Gesso
Nyx Eye and Eyebrow Pencil in Black
Make Up Store Cake Eyeliner in Black
Catrice Glamour Doll Mascara
essence Eyebrow Stylist Set

Lips
Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo

That's all from me!

I hope you enjoyed this look!

Martina XOXO

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Fabulous Guest- A post by Annalise from Pastel Bokeh- 'How I Style...'

Hi Guys!

I am so pleased to host one of my friends' posts today!! I have known An for around 2 + years when we took part in the same production back at Uni! She was also one of my make up models for my course!! Hope you enjoy this post!

Martina XOXO

Hi everyone!
I’m Annalise and I blog at http://pastelbokeh.blogspot.com/. After being approached by the lovely Martina to write a guest post on her blog, I decided that I should write a ‘How I Style’ post, my favourite! Whether you’re going out during the day or at night, I opted to style a plain black maxi dress in three ways.

Outfit 1
This outfit can be worn during the day or even at night. I have teamed the maxi dress with a beige knit jumper from H&M. 


It’s all about layering! Keeping with the brown theme of the jumper, I would wear a pair of tan flats, such as these available from Topshop

and a matching tan bag. Yes, I generally tend to match my shoes and bag! To finish off the look, I accessorised with the oh-so-famous gold chunky chain necklace and chunky gold stacked rings.


Outfit 2
For a more casual look, I sometimes like to tie a small knot at the bottom of my maxi dresses. To keep things looking simple, I layered the dress with a denim jacket, and completed the look with a pair of leather cut-out ankle boots. I am currently in love with this pair from ASOS

Finish off the outfit by accessorising with your favourite rings. These ones from ASOS would look great 

Outfit 3
This outfit is definitely my favourite from these sets. To achieve this look, simply team the plain black maxi dress with a leather jacket and a pair of flat gladiator sandals. For accessories, I chose this Romwe chunky chain necklace in silver and a pair of sunglasses. 
To give the outfit a pop of colour, simply wear bold red lips and you’re ready to go!

Which of these outfits is your favourite? How would you style a black maxi dress?

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Diet Diaries- Update 11- Let's Do This

Hey Guys!

I'm backkkk!!

Yes I know I had a long hiatus but I was abroad this past week!

If you have recently found my blog, welcome! I encourage you to check out my weight loss journey up till now: http://allthingsfabulousblog.blogspot.com/search/label/diet%20diaries. If you have been following me before, you may want to check out my last entry: http://allthingsfabulousblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/diet-diaries-update-10-lets-do-this.html.

Unfortunately this post will not feature any photos, reason being is that I did not take so many photos and I wasn't very healthy on some days. Apart from that I barely ate anything 3 days out of the holiday, reason being is that yet again, I got abdominal pains and ended up in hospital and on pain killers, wahey :-/. Thank God I only stayed in hospital approximately the whole afternoon/ late evening and bed ridden for 3 days!

I'm going to be completely honest with you, during my holiday, although my boyfriend was on healthy eating watch, I did fall off the wagon a bit. Reason being is that this whole week I literally grabbed everything that was on my mind back in Malta and literally left everything behind including the diet. Mind you I was a complete angel before the holiday!

Due to this, my blogger duties, so to speak lacked and due to very bad wifi at the apartment and throughout the holiday, I didn't take photos of the food I was eating or else I couldn't post anything!

I do have an inkling if I lost weight or not since I did weigh myself as soon as I arrived, probably out of guilt but Barcelona has helped me get back on my wagon and focus on losing the last few kgs.

I promise I will be back on track, blogging wise in the next couple of weeks!

So how have I done?


What a pleasant surprise!!! Hello 50s!!!!!!!! I actually weighed myself and found out that I was the same weight, so to go and see that I have entered the 50s zone was a huge surprise which really made my day!

I had quite a lovely chat with Marika who informed me that I probably managed to lose weight thanks to all the walking I did. Apart from that, she told me that at my age, I am now an ideal weight, so the fact that I did something about it is already a huge achievement! Yes I might gain a few kgs here and there which is normal, but at least I will not get to the point I was before, hopefully!

Summer is coming to an end, so I do encourage you to take this step if you are looking for a healthier lifestyle, making the decision is already a big achievement! Should you need any words of encouragement or advice, don't hesitate to contact me. I am available via comments,  my facebook page: www.facebook.com/allthingsfabulous or email allthingsfabulousblog@gmail.com if you would like to speak to me personally!

Until the next update!

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Fabulous Events- Caps and Stone- Yana's Jewellery and LD collaboration!

Hey Guys!

Hope you are all doing well!

As you know last week was full of awesome events! One of which was the great collaboration event by Yana's Jewellery and LD (Yana and Luisa's ventures respectively) called 'Caps and Stones'!

I was joined by my good friend Sarah Jane from Make Up by Sarah Jane.

I absolutely enjoyed this event, especially viewing the lovely displays Yana and Luisa set up. I would like to point out that Yana and Luisa did not coordinate the pieces they were displaying but the displays were so in sync, it was like the two brands just went together perfectly!

I had the opportunity to ask the ladies a few questions regarding this event and their career. Check out the interview and some pictures from the event below.

Also, don't forget to like their respective facebook pages:


How did you get started in this industry?

Yana: My obsession for collecting stacks of bangles and necklaces from around the world inspired me towards designing my own. My family history in jewellery making stems back many years which has been a tribute to my underlying passion too.

Luisa: I started two Christmases ago, the same year that I graduated. I bought a stock of scarves and began to hand paint and bead them. I then designed two collections for Camilleri Paris mode using their fabric. Last winter I even made capes and scarves for men. This Summer I wanted to bring out a collection, but obviously I could not do scarves so I made tops and caps instead which I hand paint myself.

Can you tell me a little bit about your designs and inspiration behind them?

Yana: All my designs are handmade and I simply love incorporating semi-precious stones, material and chain in one. The use of wire makes every piece look richer and bolder. I am deeply inspired by the vibrant feel of Indian, gypsy, hippie and African jewellery. I find that the general colours within these regions are truly free, in the sense that one can see multiple combinations of different stones, gems and materials come together. 

Luisa: Since I don't just do fashion design, I often get inspired from other things which are not related. For this collection, the patterns are playful and are a contemporary take on some classic fleur de lys patterns. I had actually used these 'shapes' for a lamp which I had once designed and made. I do some research on what colours are in fashion for the season and then I just have fun with it. Each top is a unique design, I do not mass produce as a matter of fact. I look at every piece as a work of art, I like to think of my designs as wearable art.

How did you decide to collaborate together? 

Yana: Luisa and I have been knowing each for quite some time now . When Luisa launched her scarf collection I simply fell in love with her work.  I had kept her in mind till this very day. After settling down at my new shop, I felt it was time to organize a joint event to incorporate different types of fashion design, and I chose to work with Luisa. I was extremely impressed by the result.

Luisa: Yana and I have been friends for a while now and always spoke about our passion for design and fashion. When I brought out this collection, Yana approached me to do something together and I immediately loved the idea. I am a great fan of her work and thought it would be fun to work with her. However I think both of us were pleasantly surprised at how well our designs worked together. Whilst setting up the shop we both were very excited at how they brought out the best in each others. I think we both knew it would work, but I don't think we realized to what extent.

How did you decide on the concept of the event? 

Yana: My Boy friend Nigel Anastasi, who is a graphic designer at 2POINT3, came up with the whole idea of “Caps and Stones”. Nigel designed the banner and it made a huge hit with the girls.

Luisa: Nigel Anastasi from 2 point 3 came up with theme. He designed the flyer and said that we needed to name the event. It was short and sweet and had a nice ring to it.

Will we be seeing more collaborations from you?

Yana: The Caps and Stones event was a very good start to future events at my shop. I will definitely consider organizing more fashion related events and Luisa will definitely be one of them.

Luisa: At this point I do not know what the future holds, however it was a great success so possibly yes.

Thank you ladies for your time to answer my questions and thank you for the invite! I wish you all the best in your ventures!

Yana and Luisa
Beautiful caps and t-shirts from LD and Jewellery from Yana's jewllery
My favourite pieces of the night- Luisa is quite known for her floral designs
LD Tshirt
Are you Green with envy? Beautiful pieces!
Beautiful display
These two pieces go together like bread and butter!
Pieces from Yana's collection
Stunning Display!
Of caps and chains ;)
Beautiful details
I couldn't go to this event without supporting one of the contributors, so I obviously had to wear my favourite piece of jewellery ever, my statement bead necklace from Yana's Jewellery!


OOTD
New Look Maxi Dress
Yana's Jewellery Bead Statement Necklace
Tally Weijl Gold Studs
Primark Mint Clasp bracelet
Peacocks Sandals

Should you wish to view this collection, Luisa will be displaying her Caps and Tshirts till Saturday at Yana's Jewellery which is located at Msida, down the road from Junior College!

I hope you enjoyed this post!

Martina XOXO